Event overview
Goldsmiths Law, in collaboration with the MA/MFA in Computational Arts, are delighted to bring to Goldsmiths The Justice Syndicate immersive theatre (jury trial) experience.
'The Justice Syndicate' immersive theatre experience will give LLB Law students and MA/MFA in Computational Arts students the opportunity to take part in mock jury deliberations, in a criminal trial for a serious offence:
A top surgeon accused of a serious crime. Conviction would mean planned operations will not go ahead – and the evidence is far from conclusive.
The Justice Syndicate is a piece of playable theatre drawing on a jury format. It explores how we fill in the gaps to make decisions.
Power and privilege; trust and technology; thought and action.
How will you vote?
The experience is a collaboration between recovering theatre company fanSHEN, computational artist Joe McAlister and neuroscientist Dr Kris De Meyer.
Trigger warning: The Justice Syndicate contains both discussion of sexual assault and explicit description of consensual sexual activity.
The event is part of the 'English Legal System in a Global Context' LLB Law module, and all LLB Law students will have the opportunity to participate in it.
The event is open to MA/MFA in Computational Arts students (MA/MFA students should contact Dr Theodore Papatheodorou for more information on how to participate).
The play was recently reviewed by the Irish Times, which gave it 4 stars:
“What would happen if jury duty was a game? This emotive mock trial sequesters the audience in the Four Courts to reach a verdict on a sexual assault case with troublingly elusive evidence.”
“As details and testimony are rationed out through iPads, and group discussions take place against a countdown, the only thing beyond reasonable doubt in UK company Fanshen’s absorbing piece of interactive theatre are the quirks of human psychology.”
A review has also appeared in the Evening Standard, which noted:
“Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch showed viewers that, given enough power and detachment, they could calmly make decisions that destroy someone’s life.
But what about when the situation and its consequences seem real?”
This interactive theatre show "invites 12 audience members to be jurors in a trial. Around a table, they hear testimonies from witnesses and look at evidence presented by the defense and prosecution, while iPads analyse the decisions they make in real time.”
“It's a great bit of practice for anyone with jury duty coming up.”
A great bit of practice too, for any student with a Law-related career coming up in the near future!
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Oct 2019 | 10:00am - 12:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
